Longbow Helicopter MK I
Not to be confused with the Allied Longbow Liberator. Confederate Longbow Helicopter Mk. 1 "Let's do us some target practice!" :- Longbow pilot, showing no regard for grammar Tactical Analysis * Still packing a hell of a punch: Speedy and capable of striking from almost any angle, the Longbow is a devastating anti tank helicopter, armed with a loadout of six short ranged anti-tank rockets. Uniquely, the Longbow is the only aircraft capable of hiding under a PAWI field. * I ain't going out without a fight: Though the Longbow's rockets lack effectiveness against infantry, it can switch to a stolen 20mm chain gun. The change may only be done at the Airpad, however. * It isn't the 50s anymore: The Longbow's weapons cannot track air targets, leaving it extremely vulnerable against enemy aircraft. Additionally, the Longbow must reload its rockets at an Airpad after expending them. * Joining the modern age: Experienced Longbow pilots get priority for better munitions, usually in the form of incendiary bullets and missiles equipped with miniature seismic generators that make tank armour easier to penetrate. Operational History During the Second World War, the Westland AH-53 Longbow was the linchpin of Allied defences against Soviet aggression. Fast, sleek, powerfully armed and long ranged, the Longbow was specifically designed to counter Soviet tank divisions, a job it excelled at. Swooping low out of cover to deliver its payload of “Archer” HEAT rockets from beyond retaliatory range, hundreds, and later thousands of Longbows were deployed from forward airbases, and its descendants continue to arm the Allied military to this day. The Longbow was almost impossible for early Soviet tank divisions to counter. Though infantry with rocket launchers, anti air "Flak Tracks" and the rocket pods on the JS-2 Mammoth Tank could fight them off, most tanks were helpless against these machines, which scored the highest kill ratios against the Soviet war machine of any vehicle in the war. The only real threat to the Longbow was Soviet aircraft, particularly the MiG-9, so the Longbow was initially constrained in its abilities due to the constant risk of interception by enemy air patrols. The appearance of the Hawker Jumpjet and the subsequent disintegration of Soviet air supremacy allowed the Longbow to operate freely, and in the last year of the war Longbows managed to completely neutralise the Soviet tank divisions, finally forcing the Soviets on the defensive. One of the biggest advantages of the Longbow is its ability to hover extremely low to the ground; it could hide in a GAP field, pop up over the cloud to fire its rockets at enemy vehicles, and then sink back into the protective cloud. These rockets retain their lethal effectiveness against even more modern tanks, but their lack of guidance systems means they can only be employed at short ranges. The Longbow is possibly the most modern of all Confederate assets; it has been upgraded with components stolen from Longbow Liberator assembly plants, including 20mm chain guns that give them some anti-infantry capability. The unparalleled armour penetration the Longbow provides makes it invaluable for keeping Allied armour at bay, and it is a staple of Confederate strike forces. Behind the Scenes * The Longbow is a mix between an Apache Longbow and Korean War era helicopters such as the Bell 47. Its tail armour plating was presumably removed for maintainability and reduced weight. Just the Stats Indian Shortbow Helicopter Tactical Analysis *'Swarm Copter': The cheaply-made Indian Shortbow helicopter may not be the most effective gunship around, but in large numbers can slaughter tank battalions. *'Armour-Piercing Downpour': The Shortbow is armed with two rocket pods, each of which can rain dozens of anti-tank rockets onto enemies below. *'Crash Landing': Shortbows can also be ordered to land on flat ground to conduct repairs, then lift off to join the fight. *'Pretty Lights': The rocket pods are only effective against heavily armoured targets, which combined with the Shortbow's weak armour and mediocre speed makes the gunship rather specialised. Background India has been hard-pressed to fully outfit its armed forces with the limited money it can pour into funding them. With many other countries ahead on the list to receive Allied military aid, India must face the prospect of sending in her massive infantry divisions without sufficient armour or air support. In particular, modern anti-tank weapons are rare on the ground (or above it), and in actions during WWIII, Indian infantry divisions were often forced to take on Communist tanks with anti-tank rifles. Mid-way through WW3, with the introduction of the Multigunner Copter and the Longbow Mk 2, the Allied Nations decided to decommission most of their Longbow Mk. 1s. However, as so often was the case, only a few of the helicopters went to the Indians. Rather than being limited to using the gunships sparingly, the Indian Army Command had the Longbows be shipped off to several local aircraft manufacturers, with the intent of having the helicopters examined so they could be manufactured for the Indian Air force. The aircraft companies came back with their product; a much cheaper but still effective gunship nicknamed the "Shortbow". Almost a straight duplicate of the Longbow Mk. 1, the Shortbow is made of cheaper aluminum, uses a knockoff engine, and is armed with two anti-tank rocket pods. These rockets are much cheaper and easier to use than guided missiles, but too inaccurate to hit smaller targets. This means that the Shortbow is frighteningly effective against tanks, but is considerably less so against infantry. The Shortbow was quickly adopted by the Indian armed forces, and has seen use over China, where large swarms of these helicopters are the bane of Communist tanks. Behind the Scenes * The Shortbow is an accepted suggestion by TLhikan. Category:Units